Ziggy, Diarrhea and the Great Gut Mystery: Our Ongoing IBD Adventure

Lucy
Sep 12
3 min read

Here's the Scoop:

What a scary “gut noise” taught me about feline discomfort
How we finally got an IBD diagnosis
What didn’t work for persistent diarrhea (a.k.a. our supplement graveyard)
The one thing that finally helped...clay! (Yes, like dirt. Sort of.)

Back in November, I noticed Ziggy was way too quiet. He had become sluggish, lost a bit of weight and started having diarrhea. But the weirdest part? He started making these low, guttural “UGH!” sounds every time he shifted on the couch. I'm not talking a cute little chirp or meow, I’m talking full-on haunted-house moans that made me literally jump in my chair.

At first, I wondered if it was arthritis or joint pain, but the vet suggested it was more like gas pain. You know the feeling...someone pokes your bloated belly and you grunt like a wild animal because it HURTS. Yep. Apparently cats do that too.

When You Think It's Just a Tummy Ache…

We tried the usual gentle gut helpers: Purina FortiFlora and Pro-Pectalin. If you're not familiar:

FortiFlora is a popular probiotic supplement with Enterococcus faecium and some animal digest for flavor.
Pro-Pectalin contains kaolin (a clay to firm stool), pectin (to soothe the gut) and good ol’ Enterococcus faecium.

Neither worked. And by “didn’t work,” I mean Ziggy went downhill fast. I rushed him to the vet hospital, where he spent two days on IV fluids and meds. It was terrifying. But it stabilized him enough to finally run an ultrasound, which revealed thickened intestines...classic IBD.

Getting to Know IBD (and Its Love of Drama)

If you’ve read about Butabi’s IBD journey, you know that his treatment plan worked relatively quickly. Ziggy? Not so much. Over the past 10 months, we’ve been on a treatment rollercoaster. Here's the highlight reel:

Prednisolone → worked…until it didn’t
Budesonide → also worked…until it didn’t
Now? He’s on both, morning and night. Not ideal, but necessary.

His food? Hyper-exclusive. I tried hydrolyzed kibble made from chicken protein, but Ziggy had none of it. Turns out he might be allergic to chicken, hydrolyzed or not. So now he’s on Blue Buffalo HF Hydrolyzed (with salmon as the protein source) and surprisingly...he loves it. But still...diarrhea.

Let’s Talk About the D Word: Diarrhea

Ziggy's gut just won’t give it up. His belly no longer hurts, he’s regained some weight and overall, he’s so much happier...but the diarrhea? Relentless.

We tried:

1. Metronidazole (Flagyl)

A bitter-tasting antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties often used for:

Treating anaerobic bacterial infections
Calming gut inflammation
Helping control diarrhea

Result: Total flop for Ziggy. Twice.

2. Purina Calming Care Probiotics

Contains Bifidobacterium longum, which is thought to support emotional well-being and digestive function. Some vets recommend it for anxious pets with tummy trouble.

Result: Not only did it not help, it made the diarrhea worse. Why? The flavoring. (We later realized Ziggy might be sensitive to any added flavors.)

3. Proviable DC Probiotics (by Nutramax)

Flavor-free capsules with:

7 strains of beneficial bacteria (including Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, etc.)
Used to support digestive balance without irritating sensitive guts

Result: Didn’t make things worse…didn’t make things better. A neutral.

4. NaturVet Anti-Diarrhea Liquid

Key ingredients:

Kaolin (a gentle binding clay)
Pectin (soothes the GI lining)
No added flavors or meat digests

Result: Another neutral. Better than worse, but still no dice.

Cue the Clay: The Unexpected Hero

After hours of research (and mild hair-pulling), I found Rx Vitamins Rx Clay.

What’s in Rx Clay?

Purified bentonite clay
Helps bind toxins and excess moisture in the digestive tract
Known to support GI health without harmful additives

Result: We finally had movement...not literally, thank goodness, but progress! Ziggy’s stools became firmer. Not textbook perfect, but way better than “puddle in the box.”

I now give it twice daily, spaced two hours apart from medications to avoid absorption interference. It’s a bit of work, but the improvement is worth it. I’m hopeful that with continued inflammation control, his gut will continue to heal.

IBD Is a Puzzle, Not a Formula

If you’re walking through the IBD maze with your cat, here’s my humble encouragement: keep going. What works for one cat might flop for another (just ask Butabi and Ziggy). There are tons of gentle, natural and vet-recommended tools out there, and eventually...if you stay patient and observant...you might just find the missing piece for your cat’s unique needs.

Takeaway Treats: